1. Tout d'abord, c'est un sport mondial.(01 of12)
Open Image ModalLe soccer est le sport le plus pratiqué au monde. Il n\'est pas dominé par un pays en particulier. D\'après le dernier sondage de la FIFA, il y aurait 265 millions de joueurs jouant activement au sport, 4% de la population mondiale. (credit:Phillipe Lopez via Getty Images)
2. Et les règles sont vraiment très simples.(02 of12)
Open Image ModalÀ part quelques hors-jeu, coups de pied de coin et cartons rouges ou jaunes, il s\'agit en gros de mettre la balle dans les filets. Quoi de plus simple à comprendre? (credit:Goldmund Lukic via Getty Images)
3. Et l'équipement nécessaire est minimal.(03 of12)
Open Image ModalPosez quelques cônes, trouvez une balle et vous pouvez jouer. Les chaussures de soccer sont jolies, mais vraiment pas obligatoires. (credit:Associated Press)
4. Ce qui veut dire que vous pouvez jouer n'importe où, n'importe quand.(04 of12)
Open Image Modal (credit:Mario Tama via Getty Images)
7. Most sports get an "offseason" -- soccer doesn't.(05 of12)
Open Image ModalFor most top-flight players, there\'s a league season, a league cup, a club championship and international games all going on at once. If that\'s not enough, almost every summer there\'s an international cup or competition of some sort, not to mention friendlies and World Cup qualifying.
\n\nIt\'s the sport that never ends. (credit:Armend Nimani via Getty Images)
8. Meanwhile, World Cups bring the entire planet together.(06 of12)
Open Image ModalAnd basically give everyone one VERY important reason to party. The FIFA World Cup is the world\'s most widely viewed sports event. Around 715 million people watched the 2006 final match in Germany, while the 2010 South Africa event was broadcast to 204 countries on 245 different channels. (credit:Jasper Juinen via Getty Images)
9. And with all the international friendlies taking place, you can see top teams play without spending a fortune.(07 of12)
Open Image ModalA friendly is exactly what it sounds like: two teams playing \"for fun\" without any real consequence to their current standing. Because not everyone can afford World Cup prices. (credit:Joern Pollex - FIFA via Getty Images)
13. It's truly a team sport: Every person counts and anyone can score.(08 of12)
Open Image ModalEach team fields 11 players. Each one has a specific duty, but every position -- even goalies -- can push forward, help defend a play, take a free kick and even score. (credit:Associated Press)
14. Women kick ass in the game -- there's a women's World Cup that also gets crazy viewership numbers.(09 of12)
Open Image ModalAnd the women\'s game is just as exciting to watch as the men\'s. The 2011 Women\'s World Cup smashed viewership records, drawing hundreds of millions of viewers around the world. Soccer is also a huge draw in the Summer Olympics, and many countries have women\'s pro-leagues. The skill of these women isn\'t lost on their fans -- female footballers are some of the biggest celebs abroad.
15. Sportsmanship is an important part of the culture.(10 of12)
Open Image ModalAnd even though there are rivalries, players usually respect one another for their individual talents and love of the game. This becomes no more apparent than when you see players exchange jerseys after a good match. (credit:Getty Images via Getty Images)
17. There are always new superstars whose fancy footwork or goal-scoring prowess seems to be a gift from the heavens.(11 of12)
Open Image ModalMany great ones have come and gone. This year, everyone will be watching Argentina\'s Lionel Messi, Portugal\'s Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazil\'s Neymar Jr. in hopes of witnessing the magic they\'ll most likely conjure up on the field. (credit:Messi & Beckham via Associated Press/Ronaldo via Adam Pretty for Getty Images/Zidane via Andalou Agency for Getty Inc.)
20. But most importantly, more people watch soccer than any other sport in the world.(12 of12)
Open Image ModalWe\'re three billion strong and the most passionate fans on the planet. We can also be pretty damn coordinated, so be prepared for some craziness this summer.
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\n\nSo, we have just one question for you...\n (credit:Associated Press)